Our First Christmas Together
by Muggleborn13
Summary: Travis and Katie are spending their first Christmas together as a couple. Travis is willing to try everything to make this Katie's best Christmas ever! First Fanfic! Rated T because I'm a wee bit paranoid.
1. Black Friday Madness

**Okay, so this is my first story, so no flames please! Constructive criticism is great, but don't just flat out flame it. Please. So I got this idea from listening to Our First Christmas Together by Celtic Thunder. (You should really check it out- the second video on YouTube and it is sung by the love of my life, Damian McGinty) So anyways, on with the story!**

**Disclaimer: I'm waiting for my rights to Percy Jackson. They must've gotten lost in the mail with my letter to Hogwarts. **

Travis Stoll and Katie Gardner were approaching a very important date in their relationship. It was a date that could define that relationship and their understanding of one another. A day they couldn't wait for. Literally. (No, really- Travis had a mental breakdown in Target when he realized that there were in fact two weeks, not one until he and Katie's first Christmas together.)

For most young couples hopelessly in love like Travis and Katie, first Christmases meant… canoodling as Katie preferred calling it. Apparently it was thought of as romantic, to which Travis replied, "Yes, because I find hormonal girlfriends with craving for foods no one has actually ever heard of and huge stretchy stomachs that make scary noises and_move_ to be totally romantic."

He got slapped for that, but secretly Katie couldn't agree more. She had heard things about morning sickness and decided that very quickly that she wouldn't be a fan. Therefore, Travis and Katie decided to wait until they were married to "canoodle".

Katie also, being very traditional, believed things of _that_ nature should wait until a couple was officially bonded to each other… for better or for worse till death do you part bonded. Travis also had a surprisingly mature reason for wanting to wait. Growing up, Travis obviously didn't have a dad. His mom was the best mom a kid could ask for, but she worked two jobs to provide for Connor and him, so she wasn't around a lot.

He wanted any child of his to have the best, most safe and wonderful life they possibly could, and he knew that as teenagers, he and Katie couldn't give a kid that. Travis did know, however, that this Christmas had to be Katie's best one yet, and he was going to do everything in his power to make sure she got that special Christmas.

**Black Friday Madness (Part one in Travis' many adventures to make Katie's perfect Christmas-**

"OH MY FREAKING GODS! ALL YOU PEOPLE ARE CRAZY!" Travis screamed as he fought his way through a massive crowd filled with mortals hopped up on enough caffinie to kill a Pegasus. All he wanted was two Nerf guns for Katie and him to have a playful fight with that would hopefully end in kissing, but according to the Internet he had to be at ToysRUs at 1:00 in the freaking morning to even make it into the stores!

Now normally Travis would've just snagged two snipers on one of his many trips to ToysRUs with Connor, (What could he say? Travis was still a child at heart. And seriously, who could resist the addictive power of Pokemon cards?) but he wanted this Christmas to be an honest-to-goodness real Christmas, which meant no stealing whatsoever.

No stealing no matter how much torture or how many bruises he would gain from this insane holiday. As for why he had chosen to do the unspeakable (leave the house without some sort of weapon on Black Friday) he was a struggling college student who really couldn't afford $80 worth of violent, foamy fun.

He was literally crawling to the toy department on his hands and knees and thanking the gods that Connor couldn't see him now. This would be perfect blackmail material, and although Travis was the King of Blackmail, Connor was a close second. Travis could see it now- "STOLL BROTHER DISGRACES HIMSELF AT THE GIRLIEST HOLIDAY OF THE YEAR…BESIDES VALENTINE'S DAY!" He couldn't let that happen! It would ruin his reputation he had spent years of pranking and blackmailing and cheating people building up!

"OW!" he shrieked as some lady in really, really pointy leopard print heels stepped very hardly on his fingers. He looked up at said finger crusher and cringed at her caked on clown makeup. She looked worse than he did when the Aphrodite cabin had put permanent makeup on he and Connor…for a MONTH! And that was bad. Really bad.

Anyways, this lady was even worse. Her cherry red lipstick was smeared all over her botoxed cheeks and her purple sparkly eye shadow stretched far above her skinny, plucked eyebrows. Her hair was stringy, greasy, and had been dyed an unattractive bleach blonde. All in all, she looked like one of those monsters from Toddlers and Tiaras had gone to town on her face with a pack of Sharpies.

"Hello there, little demigod!" "Fudge!" thought Travis. Why couldn't he buy his girlfriend a simple Nerf gun in peace? "Need some help up?" she continued in a sickly sweet voice pinched with venom. Her features began to morph in those of an empousa.

"You know," Travis began as he yanked his leather cord necklace that became a deadly celestial bronze sword off his neck. On the cord there was a silver caduceus, for Travis' father, Hermes. "The donkey leg and the flaming hair actually improve your appearance!"

With that, the empousa let out a bloodcurdling scream and launched herself at Travis, who simply held his sword tightly in front of himself and let the empousa impale herself on its point. With a shrill squeal, she disappeared into a cloud of smelly mustard-colored dust.

"SIR!" a haughty voice boomed through the store. Travis turned, his heart sinking as he recognized the voice of a very angry employee. "Sir!" the voice came again, and now Travis could see who it belonged to. A squat, balding man waddled as fast as his chubby legs could manage towards Travis and the pile of clown empousa dust.

"Sir! What have you done to this poor woman?" The man shouted, spitting wildly into Travis' face. Sometimes, Travis really hated the Mist. According to the spitting man's account, Travis had knocked out an innocent young woman who was holding some clearance merchandise.

"I am going to have to ask you to vacate the premises immediately, and never come back!" "But-" Travis began. "No buts! That was completely unacceptable young man!" Travis had one last-ditch attempt in his repertoire, and if this didn't work then he didn't know what would. It was time to turn on the Waterworks.

He worked up some fake tears and began his sob story in the most pathetic voice he could muster. "I'm- I'm so sorry, sir. It's just," he sniffed loudly and wiped a tear. "my mother. She…She's in the hospital. A-and my dad isn't ever around. A-a-and my little brother… I just wanted to give him one small moment of happiness in this dark, sad time. Just a bit of kindness. That's all I'm asking for!"

Technically, Travis wasn't lying. His mom had punched a brick wall while watching football yesterday and had broken her hand. She was currently at the hospital with Connor, who, contrary to popular belief was actually a year younger than Travis, therefore, technically his little brother. And it wasn't like Hermes just "dropped by to say hi" all the time.

With that last line, Travis curled up in a ball on the tiled floor and began sobbing. He peeked his eyes open to look at the manager's reaction, which was still as cold as ice. "OUT!" the little man shouted, shattering anyone in a 30 foot radius' eardrums. Travis got up laboriously and wiped another fake tear.

"I hope you find a way to live with yourself. All I asked for was a little compassion. And I was denied even that. What is this world coming to?" "OOOOUUUUTTT!" the manager roared, his face turning a very Vernon Dursleyish purple.

Travis trudged out into the cold night/morning/whatever it was. He had no idea what he was going to do for Katie's fun aspect of Christmas now. He just made it out the doors when he felt a hand grab his shoulder.

His fingers instantly reached for his necklace before he realized the hand belonged to a little old mortal lady. Her eyes were warm and filled with concern. "Sweetheart," she began in a thick southern accent. "I couldn't help overhearing your conversation with that rude man. I feel just terrible about the predicament ya'll are in and I was just wondering if I could do anything to help."

Travis was floored. The worst performance of his career, and she never doubted it for a second! He sniffled tragically and looked at her with the most "I'm just an innocent little boy who just want a good time for his little brother who cries all the time because our dad is never home and Mommy might die in the hospital" look you ever saw.

"W-w-well, there is one thing…" he began. Within 30 minutes, the lady had returned with the two best Nerf guns ToysRUs had to offer as well as a $50 gift card. "Here you go, darling." She said, handing over the goodies. Travis' eyes were shining with thoughts of all the Pokemon cards he could buy with $50.

"Thank you so much ma'am! My little brother will love this so much. Maybe I'll be able to convince him to eat the stale cat food we've been surviving off of now." (Hey! He might as well try and get as much out of this lady as he could!) The woman's eyes welled up as she pressed a $50 bill into Travis' hand. "Y'all use that to buy some decent food now, ya hear?"

"Oh of course ma'am! It would be my pleasure! Thank You so much!" Travis cried while backing away with the guns and $100. He turned his back on the woman and tucked the gift card and money into his pocket. He grinned at the prospect of Connor's face when he showed him that he finally had the Metagross card! Phase one of Operation Give Katie the Best First Christmas Together Ever (or OGKBFCTE for short) was complete!

**Okay… It wasn't awful? Was it? Oh well, who cares? It's Christmas after all. On that note all **_**I **_**want for Christmas is some reviews! Please, please, please! If you want to give the greatest gift of all (joy), all you have to do is write a few simple words on what you thought of the story! Not that hard!**

**Anyway, I know there wasn't that much fluff in this chapter, but I find Travis just so adorable to write! And I love writing how devoted he is to Katie! I mean, come on, together they're cuter than a puppy! Heck, they're cuter than 100 puppies! **

**Lots of love and Christmas Cheer!**

**Gwen**


	2. Christmas CD Confusion

**Yay! New update! I just wanted to say thanks so much to all of you who reviewed! They meant so much to me and I feel so happy knowing that you guys enjoyed my work! **

**Disclaimer: Still waiting. I think my owl is having a hard time make it over the Atlantic Ocean.**

Curly auburn hairs were scattered all over Travis and Connor Stoll's apartment. Why? Well, Travis had been undertaking an extremely difficult task. One that required perfect knowledge and decision. Just one mistake, and the entire operation could be ruined. Travis was creating the "Best Christmas CD in the world" for the "Best girlfriend in the world". Terrifying, I know.

It was actually quite an ingenious idea if you thought about it. The only problem was that Travis had no idea whatsoever which songs Katie Gardner (aka the best girlfriend in the world) liked. Ask yourself before you judge though, what 19-year-old boy would?

For example, Travis knew for a fact that no one sang Blue Christmas better than the King, but Katie was decidedly for Rory Flanagan's cover. Travis, of course, hated that stupid Irish leprechaun guy because all Katie did when they watched Glee was go on and on about how "dreamy" and "gorgeous" he was. Jerk.

Anyhow, Travis had spent the last 3 hours trying to figure out if Katie would prefer Last Christmas by Wham! (Whoever they were), Taylor Swift (she was OBSESSED with her), or Ashley Tisdale (wasn't she Maltese or Chow or something on High School Musical?)

"There are like 50 different versions of the same song!" Travis muttered to himself. "I mean, this would be so much easier if everyone could just agree on one person singing the song. And that's the only person who can sing it instead of having everyone and their dog make new versions whose only purpose is to confuse well-meaning boyfriends simply trying to make a Christmas CD for their girlfriends!"

Needless to say, Travis was a little fed up. He began repetitively hitting his head against the keyboard, destroying brain cells he probably would end up needing later. That is, until his Dobby-like punishment was interrupted by Connor and his latest fling storming in through the front door, their lips seemingly super-glued together.

"Connor! Really, Dude?" Travis moaned, barely looking up. (This was actually quite a common occurrence at the Stoll residence.) All he got in reply was something along the lines of, "Hmpph, mhphm, mrphm…", but he couldn't really be sure about that last part. It could've easily been "mphrm" or "hpmrm".

Travis heaved himself up to "escort" out (as in kick unceremoniously out of the apartment) the two lovebirds, but the girl's chocolaty brown hair stopped him in his tracks. It almost looked like…KATIE'S HAIR!

A million thought raced through Travis' head, the first one being "What in the Hades could Katie see in him? I mean, I'm obviously way better looking!" and a close second, tortures for Connor that would definitely be classified as cruel and unusual. Prometheus getting his liver eaten day after day would look like a picnic compared to what he had in mind for his no-good, girlfriend-stealing, heart-breaking, son of a biscuit brother.

At least, until his ADHD mind calmed down enough to where he could notice that the girl was at least 3 inches shorter than Katie and her hair only brushed the ends of her shoulders, whereas Katie's swept all the way down to the small of her back.

"Miranda?" Travis exclaimed in shock. Miranda Gardiner was another daughter of Demeter who was Katie's constant companion. She was a bit more laid back than Katie when it came to the Stoll Brothers, but if anyone insulted Harry Potter in front of her… well, let's just say they should really learn how to sleep with one eye open.

What really got Travis' goat was that she was _making out_ with Connor! Connor! The one who had had a conniption when he figured out Travis was head-over-heels for Katie, and then here he was, sucking the lips off her sister and best friend! Such a filthy hypocrite.

"Travis?" Miranda replied in horror. She hit Connor's arm with such force Travis thought he would go flying. "I thought you said he wasn't home right now!" "Well…" Connor stammered. "You see, I said I _figured_ he wouldn't be home. There's a distinct difference."

Miranda rolled her eyes in a very Katieish manner then stalked up towards Travis before drawing her dagger and holding it threateningly under Travis' chin.

"Tell anyone what you saw today and I will personally make sure that no woman will ever bear your children." She spat at him through clenched teeth.

"Knife!" Travis squealed as the celestial bronze poked into his skin. "Scout's honor!" he squeaked, pulling his head as far away from the deadly weapon as he could. Miranda sheathed the dagger violently before turning on Connor again.

"And YOU! YOU told me he wouldn't be home! YOU said no one would ever find out! YOU" "Now as much as I really like watching my brother getting chewed out, Miranda, I kind of need your help with something." Travis interrupted.

Miranda scoffed. "Travis Stoll? Asking for _my_ help? As if. Why should I help you?" "Well, probably because I just saw you making out with my brother and with just one simple click of a button could alert everyone whose opinion even matters slightly to you, namely your father."

Miranda narrowed her eyes, but reluctantly agreed. "So what is it the great Travis Stoll needs my help with?" she drawled, having no idea what she was getting herself into. Over the next hour Travis and Miranda bantered back and forth over which songs Katie would like better.

"All I want for Christmas is You?" "Love Actually version." "Jingle Bells?" "She hates that song. Don't put it on there." "What? Who hates Jingle Bells?" "Katie Gardner apparently." "What is wrong with her? First she hates the King, and then she disses Jingle Bells?" "Just keep working, Travis. And Ashley Tisdale's Last Christmas? Really?" "Who doesn't like High School Musical? Wait don't answer that…"

Finally, around 11:00 at night, the CD was done. Travis couldn't help but get up and dance around the living room at the prospect of Katie's and his perfect Christmas being one step closer to being finished. Stage two of Operation Give Katie the Best First Christmas Together Ever was complete!

**Okay, so I know it was kind of short, but today I had Christmas at my grandparents so things were kind of crazy. I'm hoping to write some in the car tomorrow and update again tomorrow night/the next morning then post the last chapter on Christmas. It would be my Christmas present to you guys!**

**Now all I'm asking for again is some reviews! Each time I get one I do a little happy dance and freak people out around me, but that's okay! Those few simple words never fail to put a smile on my face. :D! Do you really want to spoil a girl's hopes and dreams? I thought not, so review, my pretties, REVIEW! **

**Merry Christmas Eve's Eve! **

**Lots of love,**

**Gwen**

**P.S. I've made two movie references in the last two chapters! First three people to leave me a review telling me the correct movies they're from will get a shout-out in my next chapter! **


	3. Cookie Chaos

**I was supposed to put shout-outs up here, but no one reviewed! *hint, hint, nudge, nudge* Anyways Merry Christmas Eve's Eve (again) and enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: Still waiting.**

"Connor! Get your lazy butt off that chair and help me!" Travis yelled at his younger brother.

"Look man, I didn't sign up for this! I signed up to be a cookie taste tester, but every time I so much as touch one of your beloved cookies for Katie, you go berserk!" Connor retorted while brushing flour off his "Official Taste Tester" apron.

"You help me," Travis threatened, waving his very scary Santa covered spatula in Connor's face. "Or I post on Facebook just how "close" you and Miranda are. Now, do you really want to face Miranda's wrath, or just punch out a few gingerbread families. Hades, I'm so desperate I'll even let you do the decorating!"

With the idea of unlimited chocolate chips and giant bags of icing at his disposal, Connor promptly sat down with that gleam in his eye he only got when he was pranking, stealing, or about to consume large amounts of sugar. All three of which yielded horrifying results, as anyone at Camp Half-Blood could tell you.

"When do we start, Chef Travis?" he asked cheerily, while pulling on one of those cheesy cook hats that made the wearer look like they were wearing a white circus tent on their head. Travis rolled his eyes and began cutting out little gingerbread people, mentally preparing himself for a very long afternoon.

An hour later…

"Are we done yet?"

"Connor! The first batch just got out of the oven!"

"So? How many batches do you need?"

"Well… Katie's kind of busy with finals right now, and so she doesn't really have time to make to make gingerbread for her family so…"

"Gods, Travis! What the Hades possessed you to agree to make cookies for practically the entire population of Middle of Nowhere, Kansas?"

"Katie's family is from Ohio, Connor! And it's only ¾ of the population!"

"Detail, details. The fact is you, Travis Stoll, are turning into a chick."

"Am not!"

"Are too! First, Black Friday," (Connor had unfortunately returned home early from the hospital to find Travis passed out on the couch clutching the Nerf guns in a death grip) "next a _Christmas CD_, and now this! You might as well trade in your man card for a minivan and a man purse."

"That is IT! Connor, I am more manly, better-looking, and smarter than you'll ever be!"

Connor couldn't help it. It was the perfect opportunity, and what little brother could resist ticking off his big brother?

"And modest, too!" Connor quipped while ducking quickly as a glob of gingerbread dough came flying towards his face.

What happened next was the mother of all food fights. The kitchen looked like someone had put a grocery store in a blender and let her rip. Eggs were splattered all over any stationary object and milk was in murky puddles on the floor.

Travis and Connor looked like ghosts. Their faces were covered in powdered sugar and flour whereas their hair was sticky with cookie dough and raw eggs. Connor held two eggs in his hands and Travis was holding on to that first batch of cookies like they were precious ammunition. Both brothers were locked and loaded, waiting for the other to make the first move.

Travis jumped out from behind his chair and was poised to hit Connor in the face with a gingerbread girl when they both felt a cold rush of air flow through the apartment and heard the front door open and shut.

"I'm here!" Katie Gardner's voice called.

"Busted!" Connor whispered.

Travis took one of the eggs in Connor's hand and smashed it on his younger brother's head in response.

"Travis? Where are y-" Katie stopped mid-sentence, her green eyes bugging out of her head. She slowly turned in a circle, staring at the horrific mess around her.

"Katie, I can explain," Travis began before he was interrupted by Katie snickering then falling over at his feet laughing.

"What the Hades?" Connor asked, bewildered.

"It's just," Katie managed between giggles as she hauled herself up off the floor. "I'm so glad…this isn't… my kitchen!" She tried and failed to stop laughing, but ended up collapsing again.

"Really Katie, Really?" Travis groaned. He pulled his sniggering girlfriend up and stood her on her feet.

"Sorry guys, but…wow." She said looking around again. "Seriously, what did you do?"

"This is what you get for letting us make cookies unsupervised." Connor replied.

"Thanks for the tip, Connor. I'll make sure I'm much more careful whenever you two are around sugar." Katie grinned.

"Yeah… and on that note… I have a date with my shower and lots of soap. Later!" Connor left the room leaving a very dirty Travis standing sheepishly in the midst of the cookie chaos.

Katie rolled her eyes playfully then walked slowly to where Travis was leaning against the counter.

"So… now that's he's out of the picture…" Katie began.

"Yeah?" Travis answered eagerly. She kept getting closer and closer until their noses were brushing and Travis could count every freckle splashed across her face. While Travis noticed that piece of wavy brown hair that had escaped her ponytail in the wind and her forest green eyes flecked with bits of hazel and full of mischief and the way her perfectly chapped lips were just begging to be kissed, what he didn't notice was her hand slinking around him to grab the last egg out of the carton.

"I can do _this_!" she shouted, smashing the egg into Travis' flour-dusted hair and rubbing in it extra hard. Yellowy goop ran into his navy blue eyes and dripped down his face.

Katie started cracking up then turned on heel, racing to get out of the kitchen. Before she could even take a step, though, Travis grabbed her waist and spun her around to face him.

"You're not getting away that easily!" Travis yelled before reaching into the flour bowl behind him and grabbing Katie's face in his hands. He smeared the flour all over her cheeks and nose then leaned down and kissed her gently.

Her hands reached up around his neck and tangled in his hair. Both of them had apparently forgotten that they were covered in almost every substance in Travis' pantry, but honestly, I don't think they would've really cared.

Travis' last coherent thought was that this moment tasted sweeter than all the gingerbread in the world and that he would trade every kind of cookie known to man just to have it last forever.

**Aaaaanddd… scene! I'm actually really proud of this chapter! It had Connor in it and some Tratie fluff. On top of that, I can't help being happy because it's almost Christmas Eve! Yay! Anyways, as always please review and I'm still doing the shout-out thing so you know what to do! Review!**

**Love you guys!**

**Gwen**


	4. Holiday Happiness

**I'm so sorry guys! I apologize and feel awful I didn't update yesterday, but we woke up at 6 AM to open presents then I was lazy and just played with my new kindle and watched movies. So I'm sorry, but please accept this last chapter as an I'm sorry gift! Also, Travis told me to tell you guys he couldn't tell me what to write because he was so busy with the big news! (Read to find out!)**

**Okay, shout-outs. No one got the movies right, but thank you to LoveGreenEyes001 for being the only one to try! Also, thanks to JayJay-Lynn and LoveGreenEyes001 for reviewing…TWICE! You guys are amazing!**

**The answer to the question-**

**Chapter One- **. _**The worst performance of his career, and she never doubted it for a second!**_** From Ferris Bueller's Day Off. Ferris says this (in first person) after convincing his parents he's sick.**

**Chapter Two- **"Knife!" _**Travis squealed as the celestial bronze poked into his skin**_** In Tangled Mother Gothel holds a dagger under the drunken dwarf thug guy's chin and he says the same thing**

**Technically, I did reference Harry Potter, but it's not the movie I was meaning (my fault for not clearing that up! Sorry). Once again though, thanks to LoveGreenEyes001 for guessing!**

**Disclaimer- Really hoping for the rights to Percy Jackson for Christmas. Santa disappointed. **

It was December 24, Christmas Eve, the most wonderful time of the year, call it what you want; all that really matters is that everyone is holly, jolly, and ready to open Christmas presents. Travis Stoll was neither holly, jolly, nor ready for presents (crazy, I know right?) because unfortunately, he hadn't even gotten them out yet.

He had been dashing around the apartment for the past two hours, making sure every paper snowflake was properly hung and each sprig of mistletoe angled to perfection until realizing the tree seemed to be missing that teeny tiny detail.

"Chick!" Connor coughed while spraying obnoxious amounts of Axe for his date with Miranda.

"One click, Connor! One Click!" Travis threatened through clenched teeth and an armful of presents.

"Whatever, Bro-Later!" he yelled as he marched out the door. Travis heard a shriek soon following Connor's exit as the wind messed up the hair Connor had spent the past hour gelling to get that perfect "playfully tousled" look. And he had the nerve to call Travis a chick.

I mean, even though the apartment was complete with fake snow, heart-shaped sugar cookies, and a legit Christmas tree (all courtesy of a certain Travis Stoll) at least Travis wasn't wearing green tights and little jingly pointed shoes…yet.

If Katie asked him to …well I think Connor would have to officially disown Travis as a brother and revoke his man card. Permanently.

Travis I'm sure would hate that, but he would honestly do anything for Katie, even lose his man card and all the privileges it gave him. In fact, he had recently drained his already miniscule college bank account down to $1.56 buying one more _**very**_ important present for a very special daughter of Demeter.

In fact, he had just finished tucking that very present under his already shedding tree when the doorbell rang.

Travis jerked up, nearly tipping over the plate of cookies on the table beside him. He righted the cookies and rocketed towards the door, managing to jab the PLAY button on the CD player, beginning a chorus of "All I Want for Christmas is You".

He pulled open the door and froze. A flurry of snow whooshed into the apartment, but that had nothing to do with Travis' paralysis. As it happens, Katie Gardner had everything to do with it.

She was wearing one of those Aerohospital or whatever sweatsuits and only her sparkling green eyes were visible under the many scarves covering her face.

She stepped in, shivering, and pulled off her hat, letting her wavy chocolate brown hair cascade in gentle curls around her elbows.

"Katie!" Travis grinned, and finally being able to move, pulled her towards him, wrapping his arms around her waist and wishing he never had to let go. Katie tried to look up at him, but his arms had constricted her movement just a little bit. "Travis…can't…move!" her voice sounded muffled seeing as her mouth was smushed against his chest. (Which was very well-muscled, though she'd never tell him that because Travis' ego was doing just fine on its own.)

"Oh! Sorry, Kates." She smiled forgivingly at him then looked up and frowned at the fake mistletoe he had put above the doorway. A million possibilities shot through Travis' mind. Did she not want to kiss him? He thought that they had gotten past the whole "cooties" stage when they were 17!

"What is this fake crap doing up there?" she berated, pulling down the mistletoe. Her eyebrows furrowed together and after a couple moments a real branch of mistletoe bloomed above them. Travis gaped. She had no idea how much duct tape he had used trying to get that to stay up there!

"Well, sorry, Little Miss My Powers are better than everyone els-" his whining was cut off by Katie's lips pressing up against his and pushing any thought not along the lines of "Oh. Oh man. This. Is. Perfect." Out of his head.

She pulled away, laughing at this vacant expression.

"On second thought," Travis managed. "I think your powers are pretty good." Katie giggled (Travis had shocking effects on her, too) and then walked inside, shutting the door and began peeling off the layers of scarves and coats.

"Where's Connor?" she asked. Usually Connor was always at the apartment, playing World of Warcraft and complaining about the lack of available girls at college. All Travis had to say in reply to that was "They're all still getting over the fact that I'm taken."

"Oh. Umm… He's…um…" Travis struggled. He wanted Miranda mad at him almost as he wanted to be thrown in a deep fryer then fed to a hungry chimera. In other words, never. Ever.

"Chuck E Cheese's! That's where he is!" Travis shouted triumphantly.

"No really, Travis. Where is he?"

"I just told you!"

"That's what you always tell me when you're lying!"

"Nuh-uh!"

"Yuh-huh! Remember when we were eight and I caught you raiding the camp store?

**Age 8- **

(Travis and Katie with young cute little voices!)

"Hey, Kid! Where do you think you're going with those Oreos?"

"…Chuck E Cheese's?"

*Cue mini Katie rolling her eyes*

"and when we were 12…"

**Age 12-**

(Travis' voice is changing so his voice is going up and down in a very comical manner)

"STOLL! Where do you think you're going with Chiron's wheelchair?"

"…Chuck E Cheese's?"

*Cue adolescent Katie rolling her eyes*

"And last Thursday…"

**Last Thursday-**

"Travis. Where do you think you're going with my Ipod?"

"…Chuck E Cheese's?"

*Cue modern day rolling of eyes*

"Aw! Look at how far we've come since then! Kid to a last name basis all the way up to a first name basis! And did I ever tell you how very gifted you are at rolling your eyes, Katie Dear?"

"Whatever, Stoll," Katie said pointedly. "The point is you are avoiding the conversation. Could Connor perhaps be on… a date?"

"…Nope, most definitely at Chuck E Cheese's."

"With my sister…?"

"HOW DID YOU KNOW, KATIE! YOU'VE RUINED IT ALL! I'M NEVER GOING TO HAVE A FAMILY! KAT-"

"Hmmmm…Maybe I knew because, 1. You SUCK at lying, 2. I nearly suffocated on Axe walking in here and 3. Miranda told me."

Travis sighed in relief. "Seriously, you had no idea what she was going to do to me, Katie."

"She told me that, too."

"And we are moving on! Here you go!" He replied, placing the wrapped Nerf gun in her hands.

"But it's not Christmas yet, Travis!" He dismissed this with a wave of his hand.

"Details! Anyways, me and Connor-"

"Connor and I."

"Excuse me, Connor and I always nicked a few Christmas Eve to open before Christmas anyways."

"I should've known."

"Yes, you really should've. Now open your present!" Travis was giddy with excitement of what fun was soon to come. Katie ripped the paper off quickly and looked at the gun, a smile slowly growing on her face. The gun was already out of its package and there was a sticky note attached to the back.

**This is your weapon! Use it wisely and get ready because my attack starts…NOW!**

Katie jumped behind the kitchen table as a stream of bullets whizzed over the top of her head.

"You are SO on, Travis!" For the next hour Katie and Travis laid into each other with foam bullets. Laughter and over-exaggerated groans of pain split the air occasionally until Katie exploded from behind the couch and pumped foam into Travis' turned back.

"OH! You got me!" Travis cried dramatically. He fell onto the couch and proceeded to die a long, theatrical death. By the time he had gotten to the twitching Katie couldn't hold in her laughter.

"Do you need me to kiss it better?" she chuckled.

"Oh, most definitely, my fine lady! A kiss from a fair maiden may save me yet!" he moaned. Katie snuggled up to his chest and lifted her head to kiss him once, lightly, on the lips.

"Better?" she murmured.

"Much." He replied.

They stayed like, curled up together on the couch, watching Christmas movies until Katie fell asleep around 2:00. Travis was actually really proud. She stayed awake all through It's a Wonderful Life and A Christmas Story, but then had to fall asleep half way through his favorite, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.

He stayed still, not wanting to wake her and finished his movie. Stretching his hand he was just barely able to hit the mute button on the remote. Travis had convinced (bribed) Connor into returning to their mother's house after his date to give he and Katie some privacy. The silence filled the room, broken only by straggling carolers singing Away in a Manger. The harmony sounded hauntingly beautiful in the quiet.

Travis was transfixed. He kept twirling one lock of her hair around and around his finger. The last few notes of the carol faded away into the howling wind and all that was left was Katie's soft breathing, in and out. He thought that sound was more beautiful than any song on earth. Lying there, in that in-between stage of slumber and consciousness, he knew for sure he'd be content forever just being with Katie.

Around 8:00 Katie awoke to her very excited (19 year old I add) boyfriend jumping up and down like a kid screaming, "Wake up, Katie! Wake up! It's CHRISTMAS!" Travis couldn't wait to open their presents so instead of letting Katie sleep in (like a normal considerate boyfriend should do) he insisted on rousing her a whole half hour early.

"Katie. Wake. Up. It's Christmas!" To Travis those words were magical. In fact, those words are the words his mother used to get him up when he absolutely did not want to go to school. The tiny sentence and BAM! He was up and ready to begin the day. Katie on the other hand was a little less BAM! And a little more SNORE! Than Travis, but nothing (and I mean nothing) stopped Travis on Christmas Day.

By 8:15 he had Katie sitting up, bleary-eyed, but ready to open some presents nonetheless.

Since he was bouncing up and down with excitement she allowed him to open his present from her first.

"Katie! I always wanted this he shouted, holding every piece of merchandise Zonko's Joke Shop at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter owns. She grinned at his one-legged dance he was doing across the living room floor and knew she had succeeded.

"You next!" Travis insisted after calming down somewhat (he really couldn't get over the fact that he was now a proud owner of U-No-Poo! The Constipation Sensation that's gripping the nation! He couldn't wait to try it out on unsuspecting new campers that summer)

Contrary to what his reputation as a cocky player stated, Travis loved giving gifts almost as much as he liked getting them. There was still that tell-tale _almost_ in the sentence though, mind you. After all, a fake reputation is all a man has. (Said by Travis' idol, Flynn Rider)

Katie sighed, smiling a bit at her boyfriend's childish antics. She tore wrapping paper and bows off of a tiny box that she opened to find a beautiful diamond necklace. It was vines of flowers linked together to make one long chain that encircled her neck.

She loved it, but really had no idea what she owned that would be fancy enough to wear it with. It would outshine any regular dress… and that's when Katie had an idea. A tiny little seed of hope that Travis would exceed all her expectations and truly take the big leap. That her prankster would get serious for long enough to take that final step. Her hopes were heightened when he pulled one last thing from behind the tree.

And they plummeted again when she saw that what she had hoped would be a tiny black box was only a flower pot filled with her favorite flower, a stargazer lily. The flower hadn't bloomed yet and she could tell it was thrown in quickly with a bit of soil put over it into the hand-painted pot. A big T+K was intertwined with a heart on the ceramic front. Katie thought it was beautiful, but couldn't help feeling a little twinge of disappointment at the gift.

"Why don't you make it bloom, Katie?" Travis asked hopefully.

She shook her head. "I don't think so. Why don't we just let it open naturally." she said, lifting it off the ground to place it on the table.

"No!" he almost shouted. She glanced at him in surprise and saw that he was on one knee. Then she pushed the thought out of her head. He probably didn't even realize it and she knew once her brain latched onto an idea it was hard to let it go. She couldn't hope for this now, not with Travis.

"Please, Katie. Make it bloom." He practically begged. She gave him a small smile then turned to look at the lily. Little by little the petals opened to show off the beautiful magenta spotted inside. It was truly the prettiest lily she had ever seen, and her happiness was marred only by that little seed of disappointment, seeping its roots deep into her heart. That is, until she caught sight of a tiny sparkle in the very center of the lily.

It couldn't be. No. It just couldn't. Travis would never. He couldn't. I mean, he couldn't do his own laundry without her! No way could he be proposing!

He cleared his throat nervously then peeked a quick glance at Katie's reaction. Tears were welling up in her eyes as she carefully picked up the ring. It was platinum and had leaves winding around the whole thing. On the top three diamonds, one bigger, sparkled in the sunlight streaming in through the window.

Looking at it Katie's hand went to her mouth and she was in real danger of crying now. She dropped the ring into Travis' hand and looked expectantly at him, begging him with her eyes to ask that question every girl dreams about all her life.

As Katie was fit to burst with happiness and hope, Travis was positively terrified. At this point tears meant tears to him, and tears were never a good thing. He didn't get the whole "happy crying" "sad crying" thing yet. All he knew was Katie was about to cry, and she never cried. Still, he began in a quaky voice, hoping and praying harder than he'd ever prayed to Aphrodite.

"Katie." He cleared his throat and started again. "Katie. I fell in love with you when I was seven years old. Which is saying something because most girls had cooties back then." He chuckled nervously. A giggle escaped her mouth and so he took that as a good sign to continue.

"I pranked you all throughout our teenage year because I didn't know how to get your attention. There was no way the amazingly perfect Katie Gardner would look at an idiot like me unless I truly did something to deserve her attention. So I pranked you. Mercilessly."

"And this past year has been…perfect. I dreamed about it for years and then when being with you finally happened it turned out to be way better than I could've ever imagined. Now I know we're only 19, but there's no changing how I feel. No matter how many times you roll your eyes at me."

She actually laughed this time and the tears overflowed down her cheeks. "So I guess what I'm saying, Katie, is will…Gods if only Connor could see me now… will you marry me?"

Years of hatred that turned out to be love were condensed into the hug Katie gave Travis then. Even more feeling was put in the one word that completed Travis' life.

"Yes! Yes! Yes, yes, yes!" she laughed as more tears raced down her cheeks. And then she kissed him. And every feeling of annoyance, love, frustration, longing, and desperate, raw hope was channeled in the power of her lips, moving against his. That kiss screamed "Yes!" to the entire world, and with every fiber of her being Katie Gardner screamed "Yes!" as loud as she could.

Travis decided he couldn't wait for their second Christmas together.

**Well…. What do you think? It's my longest chapter by far, and it took the most effort, too. I stayed up until 1:00 finishing it in the hotel because we are going to visit my grandparents who have no Wifi and I wanted to get it up as soon after Christmas as possible. Once again I'm so sorry I didn't update yesterday (or two days ago now) and please forgive me! Please with a puppy dog face…how can you say no to that?**

**Anyways, just some clarifications- When Katie was thinking Travis couldn't propose it wasn't because she thought he didn't care enough, she just never imagined him actually getting serious and mature enough to go buy a ring and actually ask her, not just throw it out there casually. She just never expected it out of him at that time. I didn't want ya'll thinking she didn't believe he could do it or that he didn't care enough so I just thought I'd clear that up! **

**The ring and necklace will be on my profile so go check them out AFTER reviewing! I worked really hard on this and would appreciate some feedback! **

**Once again, thank you to my reviewers! I love you guys so much! **

**Merry late Christmas or Happy Holidays depending on what you celebrate! Enjoy the rest of your break!**

**Love, Gwen**


End file.
